A Study of the 9th Regiment – Minnesota

There are regimental histories all over the internet and in books.

The source I chose to work from is:

The Civil and Indian Wars of Minnesota, 1891, Narrative of the 9th by Hon. C.F. MacDonald, pages 416 to 438. There was a copy of this book in the Minnesota Historical Society but I think it is pretty widely available and even on the internet.

As you read these military histories of the regiments you see they are fixed on the foot soldier and artillery but what about the wagoner?

What follows is a very briefly summary taken from Mr. MacDonald’s narrative. I was interested in the locations that were involved and especially Co. I.

October 13th, 1863 – Were ordered to Jefferson City, Missouri. Arrived same day. Distance, 125 miles. Assigned duty guarding railroad from Kansas Line to near St. Louis until May of 1864.

December 7-8, 1863 – Ordered to Rolla, Missouri. Embarked on the carsat Jefferson City at 9 a.m. Arrived at Fort Wyman, Rolla at 1 a.m. on December 8. Distance, 160 miles.

1864

May 18-19, 1864 – Left Rolla, Missouri. Arrived at Saint Louis in the morning of May 19. Stationed at Rolla, Jefferson City, LaMine Bridge, Warrensburg, Independence, Knob Noster, Kansas City, Waynesville, Franklin etc. Headquarters at Jefferson City till April 14, 1864 and at Rolla until May 18.

May 18-19, 1864 – Left Saint Louis. Arrived at Memphis May 31. Regiment concentrated and moved to Memphis, Tennessee.

June 1-10, 1864 – Joined Sturgis’ expedition (to Guntown Miss., Ripley, Brice’s or Tishamingo Creek, near Guntown) and marched to Brice’s Cross-Roads. Arrived there on June 10.

“Found the enemy and engaged them for about three hours, when we were ordered to fall back, which we did in good order. We made several stands and checked the enemy but only for a short period. Our retreat continued until we arrived at Memphis, hotly pursued by the enemy. The men losing all their personal effects and being so completely exhausted and, in many instances, out of rations, were obliged to throw away their arms to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy. Lost in killed, wounded and missing twenty-two enlisted men, one commissioned officer.”

May 1864 to Dec. 1864 – Attached to the Dept. of the Missouri to May, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 1st Div., 16th Army Corp., Dept. for the Tennessee, Dept of the Cumberland, to February 1865, 2nd Brigade, 1st Div., 16th Army Corps (New), Military Division West Mississippi to August 1865.

9th Regiment Locations

Red Flags are 9th Locations, Purple Flag Sherman’s Click once to open, then you might need to click again to get some magnification.

June 22- July 5, 1864 – This company left Memphis, Tennessee with the regiment, of which it formed a part, and proceeded by railroad to La Grange, where it remained until July 5. Was mustered for pay at La Grange. Was attached to the First Division, Second Brigade, Sixteenth Army Corps under the command of Major-General A. J. Smith. Broke up camp July 5 and marched through the northern part of the state of Mississippi.

July 15, 1864 – Was engaged in the battle of Tupelo, when the enemy was completely routed. Smith’s Expedition to Tupelo, Miss, July 5-21.

“This expedition, which was under the command of that veteran hero, Maj. Gen. A.J. Smith, was organized for a raid in the direction of Tupelo, Miss., with a view to cutting the railroad, intercepting movements against Gen. W. T. Sherman, and, by this invasion of far Southern territory, keep the Confederates from sending Gens. S.D. Lee and Forrest’s forces to co-operating against “Old Tecumseh.”

July 21, 1864 – Marched back to La Grange, where we arrived July 21, having marched a distance of about 180 miles.

August 1-30 Smith’s raid toOxford, Mississippi

September – October 1864 – Stationed in the field near Pleasant Hill, Missouri

June 22-28, 1864 – Left Memphis. Arrived at La Grange, Tennessee on June 28th.

September 2, 1864 – The company embarked on transports at Memphis, Tennessee and proceeded to Devall’s Bluff, Arkansas (Mower’s Expedition to Duvalls Bluff, Ark, Sept 3-9); thence marched to Cape Girardeau, Missouri via Brownsville, Arkansas, then embarked on transports and proceeded to Jefferson City, Missouri. Disembarked and marched in pursuit of General Price. Marched thru Arkansas and Missouri in pursuit of Price September 17-November 15. Then moved to Nashville, Tenn.

November 15, 1864

After destroying Atlanta’s warehouses and railroad facilities, Sherman, with 62,000 men begins a March to the Sea.

November to December 1864, Lawrenceburg, Tenn

November 1-15, 1864 – The company was at Pleasant Hill, Missouri; thence marched 275 miles to Benton Barracks, Missouri, where it arrived November 15 and remained.

November 24-December 1, 1864 – It embarked on transports and proceeded to Nashville, Tennessee, where it arrived December 1. Battle of Nashville, Ten. December 15-16. Pursuit of Hoot to the Tennessee River December 17-28.

December 15-16:

The company performed picket and fatigue duty in entrenching at Nashville until December 15, when it took an active part in the battle of December 15 and 16, participating in four successful assaults on the enemy’s works, having in two days fighting, the captain and one private killed and three men wounded. The company then marched with the Army in pursuit of the demoralized enemy and have reached Lawrenceburg, Tennessee on muster day.

1865

January, 1865 – The company was last mustered in the field near Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Thence marched to Clifton, Tennessee. There embarked on transport Tyrone and proceeded to Eastport, Mississippi.

January 10, 1865 – Disembarked and remained.

February 5, 1865 – The company embarked on transport “Atlantic” and came to New Orleans, Louisiana. Disembarked and camped at Chalmette near the city.

March 5-7, 1865 – Left Camp Chalmette near New Orleans on board transports for Dauphin Island. Arrived March 7. Moved to New Orleans, LA., February 6-21.

March 25-26, 1865 – Marched in the direction of Spanish Fort, skirmishing all day with the enemy, arriving at the Fort on March 26.

April 8, 1865 – Lay in sight of that place until its fall April 8, when we marched to Blakeley.

April 9, 1865– Gen. Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia.

April 13-25 – Remained at (Blakely) until April 13, when we took up our line of march for Montgomery, Alabama, arriving on April 25. (Siege of Spanish Fort and Fort Blakely march 26-April 8. Assault and capture of Fort Blakely April 9. Whole distance traveled 470 miles.

May 10, 1865 – Last mustered at Montgomery, Alabama. Occupation of Mobile, April 12. March to Montgomery, April 13-25. Duty at Montgomery and Selma until July.

In summary: The 9th was at Nashville when Sherman was Marching to the Sea. I did read where one military unit made it to Atlanta in 17 days in order to connect with Sherman. Unless I get more detail, I am going to have to assume that great-grandfather George A. Barclay was not with Sherman in Georgia but “in the field Tenn” in the Battle of Nashville in Tennessee.

Things to Ponder

The header photo of the Mississippi River near Brainerd and the headwaters of the river. From the Minnesota Nature Conservancy Website.

Leola May Blinn may be the daughter of Sarah A. Blinn a sister of George and Alexander. I have added new information as of 6/10/2016 to the post about another of Alexander's siblings. Just put Leola into the search engine and you should find the information.

Table of content pages have been added to the top of this blog. Each page covers a family grouping and the posts published on this blog about that family and other blogs that I write on. HOVER over the titles at the top of this page and other pages titles will drop down. 1/22/2016

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